Why don't you start with telling us a little about yourself? What genre do you write in and why?
I live on the northern California coast with my partner and dog. It’s a little hippy college town, very liberal and quirky and fits me perfectly. I won’t say how old I am, but I will say that I can see forty from here. A few years ago I made a drastic life/job change and went from a records management career to editing and writing. I have a plastic Viking helmet that I wear to fight writer’s block – it honestly works!
I write gay romance, with a dose of humor and kink. I’ve tried my hand at lots of genres, but that’s what I get the most enjoyment from, and I think it shows in my writing.
Please tell us about your latest book. What can we expect from you in the future? How do we find out about you and your books?
My latest release is my first novel, “Relationships 201.” It’s about Stephan, a graduate student, who is struggling with a less-than-perfect relationship with his boyfriend and trying to figure out what to do. He’s both helped and distracted by his growing crush on the professor he’s assigned to be a Teacher’s Assistant for, Jeff. The story is about the struggle between when to fight and when to let go, and how much is reasonable to ask for in a relationship – the advanced classes.
I’m working on a new story, about a bet between friends concerning the accuracy of astrological love matches. The best way to keep up with me – from new releases and freebies to my usual blather about life and whatever I’m working on - are my blogs on livejournal and facebook:
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
Tons, I think. While I try not to write any character that’s exactly like a friend (or myself), I definitely incorporate parts of different people I know. Many conversations are based on real ones I’ve had with lovers and friends, although I admit they’re usually a bit more witty once they make it onto paper. I try not to make anyone too perfect, to give them flaws and past-life struggles that I can relate to. I suspect my characters tend to be overeducated, politically liberal, outdoor enthusiasts who love to eat and have a tendency for unhelpful navel-gazing – not unlike me.
When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
I always wanted to write, and I scribbled on and off over the years, but it wasn’t until I discovered fanfiction that I learned how to actually finish what I started. That introduction gave me a place to develop my skills, work on my weaknesses as a writer, and learn how to fall in love with my characters. I submitted my first story for publication after several months of prodding from a dear friend; having someone else believe in me and support me through the process was essential.
What is your normal day like?
A normal day for me starts around 8 a.m. I get up, feed the dog, have some tea while I check my emails and blogs, and then get dressed and going on whatever. I work from home as an editor, so I break up my workday with household chores, walking the dog, making dinner, etc. Dinner is almost always eaten in front of the TV – recently we’ve been re-watching “The West Wing”, but we pause it to discuss politics and governing, so it’s not quite as antisocial as it sounds. Writing days are usually confined to weekends, because I like to attack it before I’m fully awake.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Somewhere around junior high, I think. I recall reading books by Judy Blume and Douglas Adams and Louisa May Alcott and wanting to be like them, and write about real people in a humorous way.
Where do you get most of the ideas for your stories?
Life. I live in a college town and worked at the university for almost a decade, so it’s not a surprise that several of my stories are set there and are about college students. I try to stick with the “write what you know” adage – students, professors, librarians, writers, theater people. The plot ideas usually come from friends, conversations, songs… Anything that gets my brain going.
What are some of your hobbies?
Aside from reading and writing? I belly danced for several years and would like to get back into it someday, but just on a fun level, not performance. I live in a gorgeous area, so I try to do a lot of hiking and walking with the dog. Lately I’ve been on a cooking streak, working on my bread-baking in particular. Next up = Japanese food!
Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?
I have pretty eclectic tastes… The first ones leaping to mind are Douglas Adams, A.S. Byatt, Tolkien, and Laurie R. King. I like humor, I like literature, and I love stories set in England. The bookshelves line the whole living room on three walls, and are in Library of Congress order, from one of my previous incarnations as a Library Science student. We have some of everything, although an awful lot of cookbooks and sexuality books. Today, my e-reader has some books from Dreamspinner Press and a non-fiction astrology book.
If you could be any character of any book or movie, who would you be?
I’m very busy being me. I wouldn’t mind me a filthy rich version of me, though, if that option is open. Lately, I’m a little in love with Arthur and Eames from “Inception” and would love to hang out with them and see what their lives are like. Some smooching wouldn’t be unwelcome, either.
You’re on a remote island with a handsome man, a computer, and a “mysterious” source of electricity to power your computer. What do you do?
Have a lot of sex and write about it in great detail. Share fantasies, and write about them. Frolic and play without consequence – we’ll have to find a way to make lubricant out of palm oil and some form of contraception...
Which do you prefer:
Denim or Leather on a man/woman/significant other?
Leather, absolutely. Once saw a guy wearing red leather pants, black boots, a collar and nothing else – hot!
Irish or Italian accent in a man?
Irish, although I’m kind of a whore for accents of any sort.
Front seat or Back seat to make out in?
Back seat; I like to be comfortable
Dark eyes or Light eyes?
Either, although I am very fond of dark hair and light eyes together.
Sleeping bag or Bed?
Bed for sure – more room!
Dinner or Movie for a first date?
Dinner and a walk. A movie will give you something to talk about, but I’d rather just get to know the person first.
Coffee or Tea?
Tea, English breakfast, one sugar, milky.
Chiseled jaw line or Chiseled abs?
Neither? I like a little softness, even in my models and other purely-aesthetic visuals. I’ll choose abs, if pressed, but perfect gym-bunny bodies hold little appeal to me.
Relationships 201 by Alix Bekins
Jeff’s place is all weird 1970s angles and white stucco walls, lined with a ton of built-in bookcases, which makes sense for university-built housing. Every shelf is full of books, but they’re deep enough to have knickknacks in front of them, too, mostly lots of candle holders and statuettes. Stephan notes with amusement that the books are semi-sorted by geographic area, and the statuettes match: the Mercury figurine and Greek vase are by the Greek and Roman history books, the Buddha statue is with the Asian collection, and there’s a set of Mount Rushmore bobbleheads with the American stuff.
Jeff comes downstairs and catches Stephan poking at Teddy Roosevelt’s head. Stephan grins but then almost chokes as he takes in the sight before him. Jeff is fucking gorgeous. He’s dressed fairly simply, too, but damn he looks good. His clothes are nothing special at all, but his sleeves are rolled up, and Stephan can see tattoos peeking out by his elbows. He’s wearing a thick silver wristwatch and some bracelets and a few silver rings, and that much jewelry would look totally stupid on most guys, but somehow Jeff pulls it off without looking like either a mobster or a major douche. His stubble’s a bit longer than usual and has more than just a touch of gray, but it’s sexy.
Dear God is it sexy.
Stephan swallows, trying to figure out if he’s allowed to say anything complimentary or not. They’re just two friends going out to see a band and grab dinner, and although that sort of sounds like a date, it’s not. Jeff’s his friend, but he’s also Stephan’s professor, and Stephan needs to stop thinking about what that stubble would feel like catching on his own or—better yet—against his shoulders as Jeff slams into him from behind, fucking him hard.
“Ready to go?” Jeff asks.
He has to clear his throat and his “Yeah” is a little raspy, but Jeff doesn’t seem to notice. Either Stephan is the master of subtlety or Jeff is super-oblivious, and Stephan knows it’s not the former—a child would have noticed the way Stephan just checked out his professor. But maybe Jeff doesn’t pick up on guys checking him out because he’s not wired that way himself. He’s not looking for it, so he doesn’t see it. That’s both handy and a little sad, but whatever. It’s not like Stephan expects anything to come of his stupid crush anyway, so he should be glad that Jeff’s clueless.
Plus, that means once he stops freaking out so much about getting caught staring—okay, drooling—Stephan can just relax and enjoy it. He’s got a night out with a really cool, interesting older guy, who also happens to be so goddamned sexy Stephan can barely keep his hands to himself. Sure, it sucks to only be able to look but not touch, but it’s better than sitting at home studying and fretting over Eric.
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